A South Carolina man was booked with attempted first-degree murder after authorities say he led police on a wild chase across the Causeway Bridge - weaving in and out of traffic and ramming a patrol vehicle - before brandishing a knife Wednesday evening.

Brett Duke/The Times-PicayuneLake Pontchartrain Causeway

Jason Criswell, 32, of Goose Creek, S.C., was taken to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna where he was also booked with DWI, aggravated flight from an officer resisting an office by violence and a myriad of other charges connected to the pursuit.

The chase began just before 5 p.m. about 13 miles from the south shore of the lake when dispatchers received complaints of a white four-door vehicle speeding and weaving through traffic in the southbound lanes, according to Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechou and an arrest report.

Causeway Police Cpl. Blake Kirby caught up to the driver, later determined to be Criswell, near Crossover 4 and realized the vehicle was going about 103 miles per hour, the arrest report said. The driver slowed down some when Kirby turned on his emergency lights and siren, but refused to stop.

"At that point, he was weaving in and out of vehicles," Dufrechou said.

Kirby passed the speeding vehicle and then managed to get his patrol vehicle in front of the car to slow it down. Dufrechou said the officer was trying to stop him before he endangered another pack of vehicles on the bridge.

But the driver began moving from side to side to try and get in front of Kirby. He then drove his car onto the left-hand curb and smashed into Kirby's patrol unit, Dufrechou said.

The maneuver spun both vehicles. Kirby's patrol unit turned at a 90-degree angle and his door was jammed shut by the white car. Criswell got out of his vehicle with a knife in hand. Kirby unholstered his pistol and climbed out of his window, the arrest report said.

Kirby tackled Criswell, disarmed him and kept him cuffed until other officers could arrive.

"We're delighted Kirby's okay," Dufrechou said.

But his patrol unit received considerable damage on the left-hand side.

While in a patrol car, Criswell began banging his head on the metal cage inside the vehicle, the arrest report said. He was taken to East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, but refused treatment. At the Jefferson Parish Correctional, he screamed and yelled at staff and at one point refused to let go of a cabinet until a jailer pried his fingers loose, the arrest report said.

Criswell, who was also booked with reckless operation of a vehicle, self mutilation, illegally carrying weapons and battery of a police officer, was still being held at the jail Thursday in lieu of a $224,000 bond.

Dufrechou lauded Kirby and other officers with protecting other motorists during the erratic chase.

"We're really proud of Kirby and that entire team. They did a terrific job and preventing other people from getting hurt," he said.